The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-11-12
CHAPTER III.

The day following steamer night was
usually stale and fiat at San Francisco.
The reaction from the feverish cxaltation
of the previous twenty-four hours was
seen In the listless faces and lounging feet
of promenaders, and was notable In the
deserted Offices and warehouses still redo
lent of last nights gas, and strewn win
the dead ashes Of last nights fires. There
was q brief pause before the busy life
which ran its course from "steamcr DAY
TO steamer day was once more taken up.
In that interval few anxious spectators
md investors breathed freely, some criti'
col situation was relieved, or some I'M
pendipg catastrophe nomentarily averted.
In particular, n singular stroke OF good
fortune that morning befell Mr.. Mott.
He not only secured new tenant, but, as
lie sagaciously believed, introduced into
the Pontiac a counteracting influence to
the subtle destinations Of de Ferriercs.
The new tenant apparently possessed a
combination Of business shrewdness and
brusque frankness that strongly impressed
his landlord. "You see, Rosey," said
Mott, complacently describing the inter
view 10 his daughter, "when ] sorter in
timated in a keerless kind o. way that
sugar kettles and hair dye was about
played out ez securities, he just planked
down the money for two months in nd
vance There, sez he, That's your Sc
curity-now where's mineY i reckon
don't hitch on, pardner,' SEE !; security
what forS' 'Spose you sell the ship seq
he, 'afore the two months is up. I've heard
that old Sleight wants to buy her Then
You gets back your money SEE /. AND
lose my room, SEE he; mot much, old man.
You sign paper that whoever buys the
ship inside O. two months hcz to buy me
ez "a tenant with it; that's on the square.
So sign the paper. 1t was mighty cute
in the young feller, wasn't it?" he said,
scanning his daughters pretty, puzzled
face a little anxiously; ''and don't you see
ez amt goin' to sell the Pontiac, it's jest
about ez cute in me, chr He's contrac-
tor somewhere around yer, and wants TO
be near his work. So he takes the room
next to the Frenchman, that that snip
captain quit for the mines, and succeeds
materially to his chest and things. He's
mighty peart looking, that young feller,
Rosey-long black mustaches, all his own
color, Rosey-and he's n regular high
stepper, You bet. ! reckon he's not only
been gentleman, but ez now. Some O.
them contractors are very high tonedp'
ha RIGHT IN
give him the captains chest, father, said
Rosey; "there may be some private things
in it. There were some letters and pho
tog-aphs in the hairdye mans trunk tnat
you gave the photographer.
CHATS just it, Rosey," returned Abb
ner Mott, with sublime Inconsistencies,
photographs and love letters you can't
sell for cash, and | don't mind givin' 'c1n
away II they kin make Teller creature
happy"
"But, father, have we the right to give
'em away"
"They're collateral security, Rosey,"
said her father, grimly. Collateral, J"
he continued, emphasizing each syllable
by tapping the fist OF one hand in the
open palm of the other. "Co-la-tc raj Is
the word the big business sharps yer about
call 'em. You can't get round that"
He paused moment, and then, as new
idea seemed to be painfully borne in his
round eyes, continued cautiously: was
that the reason why you wouldn't touch
any Of them dresses from the trunks OF
that opery gal CT skedaddlcd for Sacra-
mentor And yet them trunks regularly
bought Mt ARCHAEOLOGICAL auction, on
spec-and they didn't realize the cost of
drayage."
A slight color mounted to Roseys face.
"No," she said, hastily, "not that" Hest
tating n moment she then drew softly to
his side, and, placing her arms around his
neck, turned his broad, foolish face
towards her own. Father" she began,
"when mother died, would you have liked
anybody to take her trunks and paw
around her things and wear themY
"When your mother died, just this side
o Sweetwatcr, Rosey," said Mr.. Mott,
with beamiDg Inconsistencies, "she
hadn't any trunks. | reckon she hadn't
even an extra gown hanging up in the
wagin, 'cept the petticoat ca she had
wrapped around yer. 1t was about ez
much ez we could do to skirmish round
with Injins, alkali and cold, and we
softer forgot TO dress for dinner She
never thought, Rosey, that you and Inc
would live to be inhabitin' paliss OF d
real ship. Ef she had she would have
died proud woman"
He turned his small loving boar like
eyes upon her as u preternaturally limo
cent and trusting companion Of Ulysses
might have regarded the Transforming
Gree. Rosey turned away with the
faintest sigh. The habitual look OF ab.
straction returned to her eyes as If she
had once more taken refuge in her OWL
ideal world. Unfortunately the change
did not escape either the sensitive obser
walton or the fatuous misconception OF
the sagacious parent. "Yell be mountin
q few furbelows and fixins, Rosey,
reckon, ez only natural. Mebbee yell
have to prink up n little now that we've
got gentleman contractor in the ship
I'll see what kin pick up in Montgomer.
street" And indeed he succeeded a few
hnuro lotnr in arcopnr,1io hipy yit anna